For the 16th time since the beginning of the Beachview golf season, Rich Rompala found himself in the winner’s circle.

Teaming this time with Dick Arnould, Jack Schmidt and Bill Fetherston on Feb. 12, current FedEx Cup leader Rompala, turned in a 28 under par score of 112 in the best two of four balls contest.

“I had great partners,” Rompala said modestly. “I didn’t play that well, but Jack started out strong and Bill finished strong for us. Dick and I were just along for the ride.”

Mark Ryan, Don Maurer, Don Rice and reigning club champion Bill Stell recorded the very same score, but lost in a match of cards. Then cornered as he left the clubhouse after downing a generous portion of chef Mike Price’s hot buffet lunch of pork, mashed potatoes, salad and chocolate chip cookies, the usually loquacious Stell refused all comment and climbed into his golf cart for the long ride home.

Third place went to Dan Keys, Jerry Mader, Jerry Shay and David Smith with a score of 114.

Defying the odds, Rompala has finished “in the money” in 16 of the 19 FedEx Cup matches he has entered this golf season, winning eight times outright. When asked about this phenomenal success rate, the 2009 club champion would only say, “I had good partners.”

Updated FedEx Cup standings are as follows: Rompala first with 76 points; Dick Chocol second with 62 points; Rene Lohser third with 51 points.

Attention now turns to the 36-hole Beachview Men’s Club Championship, to be contested on Tuesday, Feb. 15 and Saturday, Feb. 19. Fifty golfers are expected to tee it up in pursuit of Beachview’s most coveted prize, with former champions Rompala and Bill Fellows, and reigning champion Bill Stell favored in the Championship flight.

Favorites in the A, B and Gold flights, based on this year’s FedEx Cup scoring, include Lohser, Chocol, Mader, Schmidt, Jim Mulka, Fred Zimmer, Bill Sartoris, Roger Triftshauser, Tom Ware and Mark Ryan.